Rotary engine.



B'. B.-R0cKWoj0D. Boum ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 'IAY '1,v 1908.Patented Dec. 1, 1908. l

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'BERNARD BRADFORD 'ROoKWoOn oF L'YfoNs, iowa.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application led May 7, 1908. Serial No. 431,459.

To all whom it may` concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD BRADFORD RooKWooD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lyons, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa,haveinvented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is aspecification.

-This invention relates to rotary engines and more especially to thattype of rotary engine in which the rotor is actuated by reaction.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved generalconstruction of such a device as well as to simplify the manner ofconstructing the same and with as few parts as possible.

To that end, the invention consists of certain novel' arrangements ofparts and combinations of details hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views and', Figure 1 is a side elevation of arotary engine constructedin accordance with this invention, a portionbeing broken away. Fig. 2 is a section through the center of such anengine taken at right angles to Fig. 1, and in a vertical plane.

The engine consists substantially `of a Casin@r and a rotor. The casingcomprises a cylmdrical portion 10 provided with ends or heads 11. Theends or heads 11 are provided with suitable bearings 12 and 13. Thebearings 12 support a shaft 111 whereon is mounted a rotor 15. In thebearings 13 is held a hollow shaft 16 which serves as a l suitablestuifng box 18 is' provided to prevent the escape of steam around thehollow shaft 16. The rotor is of such size as to closely contact withthe interior periphery of the part 10 of the casing and is provided witha series of steam passages 19 leading from the steam chamber 17 to theperiphery of said rotor. These steam passages are so arranged that theouter end of each is at an acute angle to a tangent plane to the rotorat that point.

Around the inner periphery of the portion 10 of the casing is formed aseries of pockets 2O sectoral in-cross section. The center of thearcuate portion of these pockets is preferably in the plane of the innerperiphery of the portion 10 and thestraight portion is .at an acuteangle vtoa plane passing through that center and tangent to the innerperiphery of said part 10. Exhaust pipes 2l preferably .two in numberand oppositely disposed are formed in the portion l10 and are branchedas at 22 so as to connect with the chambers formed between the rotor andthe casing end 11. l

It is to be noted that the pockets 20 are longer than the width of therotor so that the steam escaping through the passages 19 and into thepockets 20 may escape from these pockets into the spaces between therotor and the casing end 11, and then through the passages 22 into theexhaust pipe 21.

It is found advisable to make the passages 19 of less number than thepockets 20, and it is further found advisable to make the ratio betweenthe number of passages 19 and the number of pockets 20 a simple one suchas 3 to 4, that being the one here shown. By reason of this there willbe, in the present instance, but one-third of the passages 19 open tothe pockets 20. This produces a considerable economy in the use of thesteam. The number of pockets 20 and passages 19 may be varied at willand it will be obvious that the more numerous these passages are themore powerful will the engine be.

In practice it is advisable to provide the hollow shaft 16 with asuitable throttle Valve, and in like manner it is advisable to providethe exhaust pipe 21 with a similar valve. These valves are not hereshown as they do not form any part of this invention and may be of anydesired form or shape.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and theproportion of the parts of this invention without departing from theprinciple thereof. It is not therefore, desired to confine theconstruction to the exact form here shown, but it is desired to includeall such as properly come within the scope of the invention.

. What is claimed as new and desired to-be secured by Letters-Patent isz 1. In a rotary engine, an outer casing provided with pockets aroundthe interior periphery, a rotor mounted within and in spaced relation tothe end of said casing, and provided with a centrally disposed steamchamber and outlets from the chamber to the periphery, each having itsouter end at acute angles to a plane tangent to the pe-- lto a planetangent to the periphery of the' 15 riphery at the center of the outlet,a steam rotor and center of the outlet, said rotor bepipe communicatingwith said chamber, and ing of less Width than the sectoral pockets,

an exhaust pipe branched to connect to the spaces between the rotor andthe end of the casing.

2. In a rotary engine, an outer casing provided With a series ofsectoral pockets around the interior periphery, a rotor mounted Withinand in spaced relation to the ends of said casing and provided with acentrally disposed steam chamber and an outlet from the chamber to theperiphery, each having its outer end at an acute angle a steam pipecommunicating with said chamber and an exhaust pipe branched to connectlto the spaces between the rotor and end of 20 the casing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

BERNARD BRADFORD ROCKWOOD.

Witnesses:

H. M. LEIMBACH, LOUIS CAVALLIER.

